page_title: Thermography
section_title: Applications
hierarchical_section_title: Thermography / Applications
caption_attribution_description: English: A thermal image revealing features on/under a grassed playing field. Visualisation is through differential 'drying', as the image was produced following a shower of rain a few hours earlier. Differential evapotranspiration is involved along with other factors. (*Archaeological aerial thermography/)
context_page_description: Infrared thermography, thermal imaging, and thermal video are examples of infrared imaging science. Thermographic cameras usually detect radiation in the long-infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum and produce images of that radiation, called thermograms. Since infrared radiation is emitted by all objects with a temperature above absolute zero according to the black body radiation law, thermography makes it possible to see one's environment with or without visible illumination. The amount of radiation emitted by an object increases with temperature; therefore, thermography allows one to see variations in temperature. When viewed through a thermal imaging camera, warm objects stand out well against cooler backgrounds; humans and other warm-blooded animals become easily visible against the environment, day or night. As a result, thermography is particularly useful to the military and other users of surveillance cameras.
  Some physiological changes in human beings and other warm-blooded animals can also be monitored with thermal imaging during clinical diagnostics. Thermography is used in allergy detection and veterinary medicine.
context_section_description: Condition monitoring
  Low slope and flat roofing inspections
  Building diagnostics including building envelope inspections, moisture inspections, and energy losses in buildings
  Thermal mapping
  Digital infrared thermal imaging in health care
  Medical imaging
  Non-contact thermography, contact thermography and dynamic angiothermography
  Peripheral vascular disease screening.
  Neuromusculoskeletal disorders.
  Extracranial cerebral and facial vascular disease.
  Thyroid gland abnormalities.
  Various other neoplastic, metabolic, and inflammatory conditions.
  Archaeological kite aerial thermography
  Thermology
  Veterinary Thermal Imaging
  Night vision and Targeting
  UAV Surveillance
  Stereo vision
  Research
  Process control
  Nondestructive testing
  Surveillance in security, law enforcement and defence
  Chemical imaging
  Volcanology
  Building
  Thermal imaging cameras convert the energy in the infrared wavelength into a visible light display. All objects above absolute zero emit thermal infrared energy, so thermal cameras can passively see all objects, regardless of ambient light. However, most thermal cameras only see objects warmer than −50 °C (−58 °F).
  The spectrum and amount of thermal radiation depend strongly on an object's surface temperature.  This makes it possible for a thermal imaging camera to display an object's temperature. However, other factors also influence the radiation, which limits the accuracy of this technique. For example, the radiation depends not only on the temperature of the object, but is also a function of the emissivity of the object. Also, radiation originates from the surroundings and is reflected in the object, and the radiation from the object and the reflected radiation will also be influenced by the absorption of the atmosphere.
caption: Kite aerial thermogram revealing features on/under a grassed playing field. Thermal inertia and differential transpiration/evaporation are involved
exif: {}